Apparatus for producing formaldehyde.



G'. FERNEKES.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FORMALDEHYDE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.18, 1911.

1,038,546, I Patented Sept. 17,1912.

6 I 2 8 i? 7 7) T M w! I I WITNESSEIS\ INVENTOR STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

eusra'vn rnrmnxns, or rrrrsnunen, rn tnsxnvama, Assmiron 'ro JOHN A. suns; or'wns'r nmzaisnrn, PENNSYLVANIA.

Arrm'rus For. rnonucmeronmannnnrnn.

Specification or Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 1 '7, 1912.

Application filed February 18, 1911. Qeiial No. 809,480.-

. .-dehyde, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relatesprimarily to the 1 production of formaldehyde by the oxidation of methane, though it'has reference to 5 the production and utilization of suchother substances as are incident to-the production of formaldehyde. The invention is not retricted' as regards the sourceof the methane, as it contemplates the. oxidation of methane from whatever source which results in its conversion into formaldehyde, the latter being collected preferably by a process of absorption. The mode "which I have adopted for eifecting this oxidation consists in causing such an incomplete burning of a combustible gas containing methtlnue at the exterlor of the screen so that the ane as will result in the desired oxidation.

Natural gas is produced in various parts of the country which contains methane in quantities sufiicienh to produce formaldehyde on a commercial scale by means of m invention, and it is to the utilizationof suc gas that the invention is especially directed, though as above indicated, not necessarily restricted. ,Formic .acid and carbon dioxid V are produced in addition to formaldehyde,

and a'further purpose of the invention is to separate these substances and to provide for the utilization of the carbon dioxid.-

. A special' form of combustion chamber is. utilized for practising the invention in its preferred adaptation, the chamber being so inclosed as to enable me to control the com bustion in such manner as to obtain "the products, to which reference has been made,

y a process of partial or incomplete combustion.

In the accompanying drawin s, have illustrated a form of apparatus or practisq ing the invention, Figure 1 being a vertical section of the combustion chamber and its inclosing jacket, and Fig. 2 a sectional plan on line 22 of Fig. 1.- v

Referring to the drawings, the combustion chamber is preferably formed with a solid or imperforate bottom 2, and a closed top 3 of metal or other refractory material.

The chamber here shownis circular with its side wall 4 formed of an open screen or gauze which is reinforced by a skeleton.

frame 5, wire mesh, such as copper or other metal being admirably suited for the purpose. Pro ect1ng through bottom 2 is a Bunsen burner 6 provided with anair inlet at the exterior of the chamber which is I equipped with a suitable regulating valve 7 controlling the gas supply. I r

8 is the gas inlet pipe, and 9 the valve The burner and valves v7 and 9, together with their adjustments, are of well known 7 construction.

In operation the fiame from burner 6 is projected against the center of top plate 3, the latter and the burner being in such proxlmity and the flame being'of such volume that it is prevented from attaining its full normal length. 'The flame products and unconsumed substances are deflected laterally to the wall-forming copper. screen 5, and .the cooling effect of top 3 and this screen is such that combustion cannot products flowing therethrough pass off unconsumed. It is. well known that the flameinclosed area of an ordinary Bunsen burner, "2'. e., a burner having a central air supply, consists of at least three zones which extend for a distance outwardly from the burner,

jected againstthe top of the combustion chamber which is heated by the flame, and

are-partially oxidized to formaldehyde, and.

all of the products, vizc, carbon dioxid, water, formic acid, and formaldehyde, pass outwardly through the screen 5. The arrangement preferably such that the flow or pressure is outward through all rtions of the screen, all of the air utilize in the decomposing operation being admitted through the burner.

. The'eombustion chamber isinclosed in the lit 'comprising a burner for Y supplyin uprightjacket 10 provided with air inlets 11, a hood or top 12 and product outlet 13. Openings 11 are preferably in the plane of the lower portion'of the combustion chamber and are of. such size as to admitan amount of air requisite for efficiently prac tising the metho A combustion chamber of the construction shown may not be essential, as conditions requisite for obtaining the desired restricted combustion and the results here desired incident thereto maybe secured by different means products may be collected from their source and separated from each other by'various means or'processes without departing from the invention. i I make no claim herein to process of producing same forms the sub ect matter of another application filed concurrently herewith.

I claim: 7

1. Apparatus for producing formaldehyde mixed air and as, means for baflling the su stances issuing om the burner and the flame thereof before the substances arefully consumed,

the method or and means for confining the flame to a restricted area and for passing the baflled and unconsumed substances away from the flame area.

Also it will be understood that the formaldehyde as the I Apparatus for producing formaldehyde closed top which forms a flame and product spreading baflle, the chamber having a closed bottom and screen-like side walls interposed between the top and bottom, the

latter adapted to cool the unconsumedsub-f stances andproduc-ts which are directed therethrough by the baflii'ng actionof the chamber top, and a Bunsen burner discharging in the chamber and arranged to project a stream-of flame and unconsumed products against the baffle-forming top of the] chamber. v

- In testimony whereof I aflix my-signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

e'UsTAvE FEBNEKES.

Witnesses:

STELLA R. BRILHA T, J. M. Nrsnrr. 

